You'll Always Be My Home
by Hermies818
Summary: ONE SHOT The funeral for Mark and Lexie. As the doctors of SGMW come together to say goodbye, one doctor pays a touching tribute and Meredith lets her mind wander. Set sometime in mid Season 9, the story is better then the summary.


**It always drove me nuts how we never really got a funeral for ether Mark or Lexie. The song belongs to Matt Doyle and Grey's Anatomy belongs to Shonda Rhimes. This is my first attempt at one of these so please be kind!**

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><p>The forecast had called for overcast skies, but by 11:00 the sun had worked its way through the clouds and by 1:30, the sky was a brilliant blue. The old church bells rang out as Meredith and Derrick walked across the church yard towards the cemetery.<p>

"It's beautiful out today," she said simply, as they passed by old gravestones and mausoleums. He nodded. "They would have liked it."

The 'they' he was referring to was Mark Sloan and Lexie Grey, who had died several weeks ago when the chartered plane carrying them, along with Meredith, Derrick, Christina Yang, and Arizona Robbins, fell out of the sky. Lexie had, mercifully, died rather quickly after being trapped under the wreckage of the tail of the plane. Her true love Mark had been at her side, professing his undying love when she had died. He held on for several days after rescue, only to subsequently succumb to his injuries. Derrick blinked back the tears as he remembered how he and Callie Torres had sat with Mark as his life, gradually, slipped away. Although he had technically died in a hospital, Mark had lost his fight in the woods as soon as the woman he loved died.

Coming over the hill, they saw the spot where they would have to say goodbye for the last time. They had elected to leave the kids at home with a sitter, deciding this wasn't something they should be exposed to. Meredith took a deep breath as the two of them neared the sight where they would be buried. Side by side, they would rest together for eternity. It had been Callie's idea originally, but it was one that met with no opposition. Meredith looked at her sisters gravestone. It read 'Alexandra Caroline Grey - 1984 to 2012 - Beloved Daughter, Sister, Friend.' She then moved on to Marks. 'Mark Everett Sloan - 1968 to 2012 - Lover, Father, Friend.'

They took their seats in front. To Derrick's left sat Thatcher and Danielle. In the months before the crash, Lexie had begun to warm up to the young woman. While seeing her as a mother figure would never have happened, she did realize that Danielle cared about her father so she loosened up to her a bit. Beside them were Molly and her family. To Meredith's right sat Callie and Arizona, who held baby Sofia in her lap. Next to them were Christina and Owen. Also in attendance were Bailey and Ben, Webber, Alex, Jackson, April, and a slew of other SGMW doctors and nurses. Even Addison Montgomery had shown up to say goodbye to the man she had called everything from lover to friend to everything in between.

As the pastor finished speaking, Jackson stood up. When Derrick had asked him to say something at the funeral, Jackson was surprised. But, as Derrick explained, neither he, nor Meredith or Callie, would be able to make it through a speech of any kind, and Jackson was the next best thing. He cleared his throat.

"I was up late last night trying to figure out what to say today, and I still don't really know. But I'm going to try." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Mark was my teacher, he was always busting my ass over the most idiotic details or the smallest mistakes. But he was always right. He always liked to tell me that we can do better, that just because the way we had done it had gotten the job done didn't mean it couldn't be improved upon. He cared about who he was treating. They weren't just patients to him, they were people too." Jackson swallowed hard, this next part was gonna be difficult.

"And Lexie? Lexie was the girl who everyone wanted to be. She was beautiful, kind, and funny. She could turn your worst day into one of your best. She was also brilliant, and she was well on her way to becoming an amazing doctor. But above all else, she loved with every fiber of her being. She loved her family, she loved her friends, and she loved the man we're burying with her today. A lot of women have claimed to love Mark Sloan, and a fair number of men have claimed to be in love with Lexie Grey, myself included. But Mark and Lexie were made for each other, and no matter what kind of crap life threw at them, somehow in the end they managed to find one another. The one comfort we can take away from this is that they're finally together. Doctor Torres has asked me to do something special to commemorate the life and love of these two, and I think I've managed to pick a piece that does this pretty well."

Awhile back Callie had walked in on Jackson belting out his favorite song in the locker room and found that the kid had an amazing set of lungs. After it was decided that Mark and Lexie would have a joint funeral, Callie had approached him about singing at the memorial service. At first he had been dead set against it, but after a little coaxing from Callie he had relented.

Meredith closed her eyes. Up until now she had done alright. But now as the music started, she squeezed Derricks hand. Holding back the tears, she let her mind wander as Jackson started to sing.

**'Remember when waves rolled to our Door**  
><strong>My heart still saves a picture by the shore<strong>  
><strong>The image was right. The world had yet to rise.<strong>  
><strong>With nothing to fight, a family only thrived.'<strong>

_It was white. Very white. Almost blindingly so. Everything was white, the cloths over the backs of the pews, the dresses and suits the guest wore, even the carpet that ran down the aisle. White and red rose petals filled the air as the big wooden doors opened to reveal Lexie, in a beautiful white dress with a sweetheart neckline and a billowy skirt, clutching a bouquet of white flowers. Her veil did little to hide her radiant smile. As she began her walk down the aisle, Mark beamed. The sight of her looking as beautiful as the day he met her took his breath away. _

**'I know I'm not exactly what you planned.**  
><strong>But I never thought you'd understand.<strong>  
><strong>Please call on me if you feel alone.<strong>  
><strong>Cause you'll always be my home.'<strong>

_Memories began to play in his mind. He saw the moment they met. The moment she first came to his hotel room. Her stroking his hair in his hospital bed after she'd broken his penis. The moment he told her that she was the one who put him back together. The kiss after the face transplant. The moment when he lost her the first time. When he told her she could have a husband. Her telling him she loved him right before the plane crash. And finally, he remembered as she whispered her last words to him. "Meant to be." Yes they were._

**'Not since the sea have you and I locked eyes.**  
><strong>And I set you free bearing my disguise.<strong>  
><strong>I've worked so hard to feel you with pride.<strong>  
><strong>Let down your guard, and I won't hide.'<strong>

_"I do." He whispered_

_"I do." She gulped._

_He pulled back her veil, and pulled her into the sweetest, most meaningful kiss of his life. She was just so perfect. Neither of them wanted to break the moment, and for what seemed like an eternity, neither of them moved. Finally he took her hand and led her back down the aisle. They moved slowly, the rose petals were still falling, there was no rush. They had all the time in the world._

**'Cause I know I'm not exactly what you planned.**  
><strong>But I never thought you'd understand. <strong>  
><strong>Please call on me if you feel alone.<strong>  
><strong>Cause you'll always be my home.'<strong>

The funeral was over, and people were leaving. Meredith hugged Bailey and shook hands with Richard before turning to Jackson.

"That was wonderful Jackson, thank you." She smiled as he shook Derricks hand.

"Anytime, if you guys need anything let me know."

"We will." She said as he gave Callie a hug before leaving.

"You should probably go." Meredith said, turning to Callie. "You look like you haven't slept in days." Callie nodded and picked up Sofia.

"Why don't you and Arizona come by tomorrow and we can all have dinner." Derrick suggested.

"I don't know, we'll have to see how tomorrow goes." Callie sadly smiled. "But thanks." She turned towards Arizona and headed towards their car.

"We should probably get going too." Derrick said.

"Wait for me in the car." She kissed him. He smiled sadly as the two of them looked back at the tombstones before leaving her in peace. For a long time didn't move, she stood perfectly still as she let her eyes drink in each detail of the stones. As she was about to go, her eye caught something. She gasped and knelt infront of the headstone, tracing the tiny etching with her fingers. Who did this?

Derrick came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder. "I had them add that last-minute," He said. "It just seemed right."

On the left edge of Lexie's stone, about an inch from the bottom, was the engraving of half a heart. It was so small that at first glance you might miss it, but it was there. Meredith's eyes moved to Marks stone and, sure enough, on the right edge about an inch from the bottom was the other half.

"I had them engraved extra deep, until it almost went right through." He explained. "That way, when the names and dates have faded away, and they can't tell who they belong too, those will still be there."

Meredith put her hand to her mouth as she leaned into Derrick. He hugged her close and they stood there, letting the afternoon grow long, remembering Mark and Lexie.

**'Please call on me if you feel alone.**  
><strong>Cause you'll always be my home.'<strong>

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><p><strong>Please review and tell me what you think!<strong>


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